Federal authorities lifted the veil at a Dallas strip club, leading to the arrest of numerous suspected undocumented immigrants and confiscating tens of thousands of dollars in cash.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas, with the support of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, executed a criminal search warrant at Chicas Bonitas Cabaret on Friday. This operation was conducted based on suspicions of human trafficking and illegal employment, as detailed in a press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to officials, a total of 41 undocumented individuals were apprehended, including 29 who were believed to be working unlawfully at the establishment. They were detained by the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office for administrative immigration violations.
As ICE conducts further processing of those arrested during the operation, authorities noted that at least five individuals among those detained have prior convictions for criminal offenses related to their illegal entry into the US.
Among them is Julios Cesar Martinez, 47, from Mexico, who has been found guilty three times of assault causing bodily injury as well as driving under the influence. Victor Manuel Manzano-Ramirez, 47, also from Mexico, has illegally entered the US on two occasions and has a history of DUI convictions. Gustavo Rojas-Garda, 44, previously convicted for DUI, and Genaro Diaz-Perez, 44, who has a record for prostitution, were also included in this group.
One detainee, Juan Carlos Salas Medina, 30, from Mexico, is reported to have illegally crossed into the US ten times. He has been convicted of aggravated assault against a family member, along with possession of a controlled substance and DUI, as per officials.
Along with the arrests, HSI Dallas seized approximately $30,000 in US currency and various business documents as part of an ongoing investigation into the club’s operations.
Travis Pickard, the special agent in charge of HSI Dallas, stated the agency’s commitment to “eliminating the horrifying issue of sex trafficking within our communities.” He emphasized that through collaboration with federal and local partners and utilizing HSI’s unique investigative tools, they were able to disrupt this suspected trafficking ring and are actively pursuing the identification of potential victims.
FOX 4 Dallas reported that neighboring business owners had not observed any unusual activity at the location prior to the raid, but they noted that business has declined since the arrests.
